y 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
FOREST SERVICE 

PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE 

r.^«, Z f-7^7 REGULATIONS 

AND 

'^FORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

MAR9-'192I 

i DOCUMEkFS U.Vi.5ION 



^V(3'51 



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O^ United States Department of Agriculture 

(>2 Department Circular 161 



Contribution from the Forest Service 
WILLIAM B. GREELEY, Forester 



PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE 



This pamphlet contains regulations prescribed by 
the Secretary of Agriculture governing hunting, fish- 
ing, and camping on the Pisgah National Game Preserve, 
North Carolina, together with instructions for applying 
the regulations and information intended to aid the 
public in making proper use of the preserve. 

The Pisgah National Game Preserve, with boundaries 
coincident with the Pisgah National Forest, was created 
by presidential proclamation October 17, 1916, following 
appropriate action by the Legislature of the State of 
North Carolina and by the Congress of the United States 
to authorize the exercise of this power. The State and 
Federal statutes, together with the proclamation estab- 
lishing the Pisgah National Game Preserve, are given at 
the end of this pamphlet. 

The preserve covers 90,000 acres of the upper water- 
shed of the French Broad Piver and smaller portions of 
the watershed of Pigeon Piver in Transylvania, Haywood, 
Buncombe, and Henderson Counties, N. C. Originally 
the region was full of game, including buffalo, elk, deer, 

22652°— 21 1 



2 PISGAII NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 

wild turkey, bear, and many smaller fur-bearing animals. 
Buffalo and elk are believed to have been exterminated 
in North Carolina before the Revolutionary War. Deer, 
wild turkey, and bear became very scarce throughout 
the southern Appalachian region in the latter part of the 
nineteenth century, but were not completely driven out. 
The game preserve includes lands which had been sys- 
tematically restocked with deer, wild turkey, and pheas- 
ant by the former owner, Mr. George W. Vanderbilt. 

It is the purpose of the Government to protect the 
game on the preserve in order that here it may have 
a refuge and breeding ground from which to replenish 
the adjacent mountain regions. 

In the spring of 1917 a band of elk shipped from the 
Yellowstone was placed in the preserve. In February, 
1919, a herd of six pure-blood buffalo, given to the 
Government by Mr. Austin Corbin, of New York, was 
also placed in a fenced inclosure inside the boundary of 
the forest. 

The streams are being annually stocked with rainbow 
and brook trout. 

Verne Rhoades, 
Forest Suj)crvisor. 



REGULATIONS GO V ERNING HUNTING, FISHING 
AND CAMPING ON THE PISGAH NATIONAL 
FOREST AND ON THE PISGAH NATIONAL 
GAME PRESERVE, NORTH CAROLINA 



Regulation 1.— HUNTING 

Section 1. No permit will be issued authorizing hunt- 
ing, catching, trapping, disturbing, or killing any kind of 
game animal, or game or nongame bird, or taking the eggs 
of any such bird, except as provided in section 4 of this' 
regulation. 

Sec. 2. Carrying or having possession of firearms, with- 
out the written permission of the forest supervisor, is pro- 
hibited. 

Sec. 3, Permitting dogs to run at large, or having in 
possession dogs in leash or confined, is prohibited 

Sec. 4. Permits may be issued for the trapping and 
hunting of predatory animals, birds, and fish, and for the 
taking of game animals, birds, fish, and eggs for propaga- 
tion or for scientific purposes. 

Instructions. 

Hunting of any sort except for predatory animals, birds, 
and fish, or for the transplanting of any kind of animals, 
birds, and fish, under spjecial permit, within the Pisgah 
National Game Preserve is not allowed, since the purpose 
of the preserve is to afford a refuge and a breeding place 
for game and birds in order to stock not only the land 
within its limits but also the surrounding country. Per- 
mits to carry firearms into the preserve are given only 
when there is actual and urgent need for them in the pro- 
tection of life or property or in the enforcement of the law. 



4 PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 

Regulation 2.— FISHING 

Section 1. No permit will be issued authorizing fishing, 
or catching, trapping, or killing fish, except as expressly 
pro\ided for in and in conformity with the terms fixed 
by this regulation. 

Sec; 2. "Fishing \vill be permitted only with unbaited 
artificial fly hook. 

Sec 3. Fishing will be permitted only during the sea- 
son May 1 to August 31. 

Sec 4. Brook trout under 6 and rainbow trout under 8 
inches in length shall be returned immediately to the 
water with the least possible injury to the fish. 

Sec 5. No permittee shall catch more than 15 fish in 
any one day, or fish between the hours of 8 p. m. and 5 
a. m., or in or on any portion of a stream closed to fishing. 
No fish taken under permit shall be sold or otherwise dis- 
posed of for commercial purposes. 

Sec 6. No permittee will be allowed more than 10 days' 
fishing in any one season. 

Sec 7. The Forester may from time to time close to 
fishing any stream or part thereof. 

Sec 8. The Secretary of Agricultiu-e will prescribe from 
time to time upon data furnished by the Forester the max- 
imum number of days of fishing that may be allowed under 
permits during any one calendar year, and the number of 
permits issued and the periods specified therein will be 
regulated accordingly. 

Instructions 

The Secretary of Agriculture has prescribed 2,000 days 
as the maximum number for the season. 

The regulation of fishing is for the purpose of preserving 
permanently this form of recreation, and of making it 
available to as large a number of the public as possible. 
Applications (which need not be in writing) for fishing 
permits may be made to the nearest forest officer connected 



PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 5 

with the Pisgah Game Preserve, who will inform the appli- 
cant as to the procedure to be followed in transmitting the 
required charges, etc. 

Permits will be issued in the order of application, up to 
the limit of the total number of days of fishing prescribed by 
the Secretary for the current season. 

Regulation 3.— CAMPING 

Section 1. Camping except under permit is prohibited. 

Instructions 

Applications for camping permits should be submitted 
in the same manner as for fishing permits. Forest officers 
will, if desired, suggest camping places and give informa- 
tion with regard to the locality. 

A camping' permit will include the privilege of using 
dead and down timber only for fuel. Green timber may 
be cut only under special permit. 

Campers will be required to keep their camp sites in a 
neat and orderly condition, to dispose of all refuse and take 
care of their fires as the forest officer may direct. 

Regulation 4.— CHARGES 

Section 1. Except as herein provided, permits for fish- 
ing will be issued only upon prepayment of such charges as 
may be fixed from time to time by the Secretary of Agricul- 
ture. 

Sec. 2. No charge \W11 he made for camping permits. 

Sec. 3. No refund will be made on account of fail- 
ure to utilize any permit for the full period specified 
therein. 



6 PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESER\^. 

Instructions 

The charge for fishing permits has been fixed by the 
Secretary of Agriculture at $1 per day for each pernuttee, 
with the pro\dso that the wife or other female member of 
the family of the permittee may be included in his permit 
at one-half of the regular charge, additional for each person, 
and that the children of the permittee under 14 years of age 
may be included free. 

Regulation 5.— ISSUE OF PERMITS 

Section 1. All i)ermits authorized by these regulations 
may be issued by the forest super^dsor or such forest officer 
as he may designate. 

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS AND INFORMATION 
FOR THE PUBLIC 

1. Permits may be obtained from the forest supervisor or 
any forest ranger, as follows: Obtain a postal money order 
from any post office in payment of the number of days 
fishing desired. The money order must be made payable 
to the District Fiscal Agent, Forest Ser\dce, Washington, 
D. C. Take this money order to the forest superAdsor or 
forest ranger, who will supply the necessary form of trans- 
mittal to be sent ^vith the money order and will issue the 
permit. No other form of payment than postal 
money order will be accepted. 

2. To obtain permits by mail, write the Forest Supervi- 
sor, Asheville, N. C, for a blank letter of transmittal, 
Form 861, stating the number of days fishing desired. 
When the necessary form is obtained, procure a post office 
money order for the proper amount and forward it to the 
District Fiscal Agent, Forest Service, Washington, D. C, 
and notify the forest supervisor, sending to him the stub of 
the moneV order. 



PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 7 

3. Forest officers are instructed to inspect both the per- 
mits and the catch of fish of any person at any time who 
may be fishing in the streams of the game preserve. 

4. Fish that are to be retained should be killed 
immediately. Fish that are to be thrown back 
into the streams should not be handled with dry 
hands. Always dip-the hand in the water first. 

5. In selecting a camping place its location should be 
far enough away from the water supply as not to ])e objec- 
tionable to others who may wish to camp in the \icinity at 
the same time and use the same water supply. 

6. The careless throwing out of paper bags or boxes, tin 
cans, or other litter on the roads, trails, at resting places, or 
at camping places, is not allowed. Such refuse should be 
deposited in the receptacles provided therefor. Where 
none is provided the permittee should either bury or burn 
the refuse or else hide it so that it will not be objectionable 
to others. 

7. The greatest care must always be exercised to insure 
the complete extinction of all camp fires before they are 
abandoned. Permittees under these regulations are au- 
thorized to build small fires and only in the open woods 
away from trees and logs. They should first scrape away 
all leaves and trash for a space of at least 5 feet. Under no 
circumstances should a fire be left unattendod. Before 
leaving thoroughly extinguish the fire by pouring on water. 
l^Tiere water is not available cover the fire with earth well 
packed down. 

8 . There is at present one hotel within the game preserve. 
This is located on the crest of Pisgah Ptidge and on the 
Pisgah Motor Road. There are private houses near the 
boundary in various places where comfortable rooms with 
good board are obtainable. Food supplies for camping 
purposes may readily be obtained in the towns along the 
Toxaway branch of the Southern Railway and from coun- 
try stores located near the forest boundaries. 



8 PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 

9. The logical entrances to the preserve are from 
Brevard, Pisgah Forest, Horseshoe, Hendersonville, 
Asheville, and Candler, N. C, all on the Southern Rail- 
way. The Pisgah ^lotor Road runs through the heart 
of the Forest, 27 miles from Brevard to Candler, N. C. 
There is mail service within the preserA^e on Davidson 
River and on Bent Creek. All of the ranger stations are 
connected with Brevard, Candler, or Ashe\ille telephone 
exchanges. 

10. The forest supervisor's office is in Asheville, N. C. 
There are forest rangers on Bent Creek, on North and 
South Mills River, on Upper and Lower Davidson River, 
and in the Pink Beds. All of the forest officers and game 
wardens ^Yll\ be glad to give information for the guidance 
and assistance of the public. 



ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF NORTH 
CAROLINA GIVING AUTHORITY TO THE FEDERAL GOVERN- 
MENT TO ESTABLISH RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR 
THE PROTECTION OF GAME, FISH, AND BIRDS 

An Act To gi\e the consent of the State of North Carolina to the making 
by the Congress of the United States, or under its authority, of all such 
rules and regulations as in the opinion of the Federal Government 
may be needful in respect to game animals, game and nongame birds, 
and fish on lands, and in or on the waters thereon, acquired or to be 
acquired by the Federal Government in the western part of North 
Carolina for the conser^^ation of the navigability of navigable rivers. 

Whereas the Government of the United States, with 
the consent of the General Assembly of the State of North 
Carolina, has acquired and will acquire areas of forested 
land in the western part of said State for the purpose of 
conserving the navigability of navigable streams, and said 
lands and waters thereon are and will be stocked, naturally 
and artificially, with game animals, game and nongame 
birds, and fish; and, 

Whereas, in order adequately to enjoy and protect the 
occupancy and use of said areas, it is important that the 



PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 9 

United States be fully authorized to make all needful 
rules and regulations in respect to such animals, birds, 
and fish; Therefore, 
The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: 

Section 1. That the consent of the General Assembly 
of North Carolina be, and hereby is, given to the making 
by Congress of the United States, or under its authority, 
of all such rules and regulations as the Federal Govern- 
ment shall determine to be needful in respect to game 
animals, game and nongame birds, and fish on such lands 
in the western part of North Carolina, as shall have been, 
or may hereafter be, purchased by the United States 
under the terms of the act of Congress of March first, one 
thousand nine hundred and eleven, entitled ''An act to 
enable any State to cooperatfe with any other State or 
States, or \\T.th the United States, for the protection of the 
watersheds of navigable streams, and to appoint a commis- 
sion for the acquisition of lands for the purpose of con- 
serving the navigal:>ility of navigable rivers " (Thirty-sixth 
United States Statutes at Large, page nine hundred and 
sixty-one), and acts of Congress supplementary thereto 
and amendatory therof, and in or on the waters thereon. 

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified 
this the 9th day of March, 1915. 

E. L. Daughtridge, 

President of the Senate. 
T. C. Bowie, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Examined and found correct. 

Paxton, 
For Committee. 

EXTRACT FROM THE ACT OF AUGUST 11, 1916. 

The act of Congress approved August 11, 1916 (Public 
No. 190), provides in part as follows: 

That the President of the United States is hereby- 
authorized to designate such areas on any lands which 



10 PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 

have oeen or which may hereafter be, purchased l^y the 
United States under the provision of the act of March 
first, nineteen hundred and eleven (Thirty-sixth Statutes 
at Large, page nine hundred and sixty-one), entitled 
"An act to enable any State to cooperate with any other 
State or States, or with the United States, for the protec- 
tion of watersheds of navigable streams, and to appoint a 
commission for the acquisition of lands for the purpose of 
conserving the navigal)ility of navigable streams," and 
acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof, as 
should, in his opinion, be set aside for the protection of 
game animals, birds, or fish; and whoever shall hunt, catch, 
trap, wdllfully disturb or kill any kind of game animal, 
game, or nongame l)ird, or fish, or take the eggs of any 
such bird on any lands so sqf, aside, or in or on the waters 
thereof, except under such general rules and regulations 
as the Secretary of Agriculture may from time to time 
prescribe, shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned 
not more than six months, or both. 

PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE— NORTH CAROLINA 
By the President of the United States of America— A Proclamation 

Whereas it appears that the .designation and setting 
aside of the areas in the State of North Carolina, herein- 
after indicated, for the protection of game animals, l)irds, 
and fish will promote the public good : 

Now, therefore, 1, Woodrow Wilson, President of the 
United States of America, by virtue of the power in me 
vested by the act of Congress approved August eleventh, 
aineteen hundred and sixteen entitled "An act making 
appropriations for the Department of Agriculture for the 
fiscal year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and 
seventeen, and for other purposes, '' do proclaim that there 
are hereby designated and set aside for the protection of 
game animals, birds, and fish all lands of the United 



PISGAH NATIONAL GAME PRESERVE. 11 

States within the Pisgah National Forest in the State of 
North Carolina, purchased under the provisions of the act 
of March first, nineteen hundred and eleven (Thirty-sixth 
Statutes at Large, page nine hundred and sixty-one), en- 
titled, *'An act to enable any State to cooperate with any 
other State or States, or with the United States, for the 
protection of watersheds of navigable streams, and to ap- 
point a commission for the acquisition of lands for the pur- 
pose of conserving the navigability of navigate streams, ' ' 
and acts supplementary thereto and amendatory thereof, 
as shown on the diagram forming a part hereof, to be 
known as the Pisgah National Game Preserve. 

Warning is hereby gi^en to all persons not to hunt, 
catch, trap, willfully disturb or kill any kind of game 
animal, game or nongame bird, or fish, or to take the eggs 
of any such bird, on any lands herein designated or in or on 
the waters thereof, except under such general rules and 
regulations as may be prescribed from time to time by the 
Secretary of Agriculture. 

In witness whereof, I hereby set my hand and have 
caused the seal of the United States to be aflixed. 

Done at the city of Washington this 17th day of October, 
in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and 
sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States 
the one hundred and forty-first. 

[seal.] ' WooDROw Wilson, 

By the President: 

Robert Lansing, 

Secretary of State. 



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